Introduction by Eric B. Bauman, PhDI would like to introduceJon Brouchoud as a guest blogger here on the Clinical Playground site. It’s such an honor to have been able to work with Jon during the past few years. He heads up development at Arch Virtual, a company that creates award-winning, visionary virtual reality software in 3D.

Jon and I have collaborated closely on some fantastic projects, and more recently on a project for Envision that helps students learn about medical and clinical career choices.

Acadicus is software that allows you to quickly create your own VR simulations using a library of 3D assets including equipment and apparatus that you can use to create VR simulations you think are important for your organization.

I encourage you to do a few things, especially if you have an interest in VR and healthcare simulation, or if you are an emergency responder:

Watch the YouTube recording of the first-of-its-kind VRodcast to understand what a VR podcast is (and have your mind blown with how you can use Acadicus).

Subscribe to the Acadicus YouTube channel so that you can watch future VR podcasts, AKA VRodcasts.

To explain why the simulations Dr. Bauman created are a game-changing milestone for VR, we need to rewind to a hot summer day in July of 2017 at the Town of Madison Fire Department.

I had two cameras rolling as our development team gathered around to study Dr. Bauman’s demonstration of some clinical skills for a VR simulation we were developing. He was our subject matter expert, and this video would prove to be critical during the next six months as the Arch Virtual team attempted to replicate Dr. Bauman’s demonstration into a VR application that would enable students to follow along with using Oculus Rift headsets.

Anyone who has ever met or had the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Bauman would attest to the massive amount of knowledge, skill, and passion he brings to his work. As we watched his demonstration, and I scrambled to capture as much video as possible, I wished for a more efficient way to capture his movements and his expertise. This was an insight that would soon change our entire VR development methodology.

Jon Brouchoud & Eric B. Bauman, PhD

Fast forward two years. Dr. Bauman and I put on VR headsets and enter Arch Virtual’s new Acadicus platform together. All I have to do is hit the “Record” button, and Acadicus begins capturing everything in the scene — everything we say, do, and interact with will now be captured into an immersive 3D simulation.

Eric B. Bauman, PhD teaching in Acadicus

In under two hours, we were able to create three simulations that others can now visit and explore as an immersive VR learning experience. Instead of the expensive and lengthy process of recording video of his demonstration and attempting to translate it as accurately as we can into a VR application, we’re now able to capture and convey his instruction in realtime.

It’s like broadband knowledge transfer from the mind of an expert directly into the immersive experience of a learner. It continues to be an honor and a privilege to collaborate with Dr. Bauman on the bleeding edge of VR simulation, and we’re just getting started. Stay tuned for more simulations to come!